Spray nozzle for pan greasing apparatus



April 15, 1958 e. E. TENCH 2,830,846

SPRAY NOZZLE FOR PAN GREASING APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 7, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 1 flwavroe 650/966 5 TEA/CH 5r #1.: arm/war A ril 15, 1958G. E. TENCH 2,830,346

SPRAY NOZZLE FOR PAN GREASING APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. 7, 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 2 Asa/aura? 650/965 5 TENCH wk i. M

April 15, 1958 G. E. TENCH 2,830,846

SPRAY NOZZLE FOR PAN GREASING APPARATUS Original Filed Aug. '7. 1950 3Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENT'OE 6601966 5. 7'NC/7 BY HI: array/v5) SFRAY NOZZLE FOR PAN GREASING APPARATUS George E. Touch, South Pasadena,Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Capital Products Corporation,ltdechanicsburg, Pin, a corporation of Pennsylvania Original applicationAugust 7, 1950, Serial No. 178,134, now Patent No. 2,701,134, datedFebruary 8, 1955. Divided and this application December 8, 1954, SerialNo. 473,831

2 Claims. (Cl. 299-123) This application is a division of my co-pendingapplication filed August 7, 1950, Serial No. 178,134, now Patent No.2,701,542, granted February 8, 1955.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in continuous dutyautomatic spraying equipment and deals more particularly with suchapparatus .for use in greasing the cavity of bread pans prior to theinsertion of the dough to be baked.

Heretofore, bread pans have been greased manually, with manual aids, andwith semiautomatic equipment that generally sprays the entire pancavity. These procedures have become costly in manual labor, loss ortime, and excessive use of grease and are unsuitable for presentdaystandards and demands of mass production of loaf bread.

it has been determined that the inner wall or walls and bottom surfacesof a bread pan .need not be entirely sprayed with the grease to precludeadherence of the baked loaf to the pan, but it is sufficient to coatonly a portion of the inner walls with a band of grease near the upperextremities thereof. This has resulted in a considerable saving in oilmaterial and incidentally produces a product that is more appetizing inappearance due to the sparing amount of grease that is used, the band ofgrease applied still being sufiicient to lubricate the pan walls.

The expansion of demands for bakery goods necessitates the applicationof mass productionmethods to their manufacture. At the present time,bread parts are not individually handled but are joined together bystraps in any desired number and are commonly referred to as straps ofpans. These integral units may be handied by a conveyor system andtreated and loaded in sequences. It is an object of this invention toprovide as one of these sequential operations an automatic greasingapparatus to apply a band of grease to the bread pans as they areprogressively moved along the conveyor.

Briefly, the apparatus includes a belt to convey straps of pans, thepans passing beneath a movable grease distributor or nozzle whereby theyare sprayed with grease in sequence. The nozzle is mounted upon avertically movable carriage and is so actuated as to project apredetermined distance into the cavity of each pan as itv passes, spraythe pan with a band of grease, and then retract therefrom. The panitself through actuating levers serves to initiate each of the abovefunctions to accord proper timing as the pan passes the sprayingstation.

It is, therefore, another object of this invention to pro-" vide a pangreasing apparatus that is actuated by the individual pans rendering thesystem entirely automatic. It is another object to provide a carriagemeans to move the spray nozzle substantially into the cavity of PatentedApr. 155, i958 Another object is to provide a nozzle with orificecharacteristics suitable for applying a band of grease on the innerwalls of the pan, said band being substantially uniform in Width andquantity.

Another object is to provide adjustable means to control the amount ofgrease applied to each pan.

The invention also has for its objects to provide such means that arepositive in operation, convenient in use, easily installed in workingposition and easily disconnected therefrom,economical of manufacture,relatively simple, and of general superiority and serviceability.

The invention also comprises novel details of construction and novelcombinations and arrangements of parts, which will more fully appear inthe course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is an enlarged side elevational view partly in section of thehydraulic unit and showing the nozzle carriage in its normal positionand also showing the operative position in phantom;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the hydraulic unit as seen in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view partly in section of theactuator unit showing the component parts thereof and its operativeposition with respect to the air valve and air plunger;

Figure 4 is a schematic representation of the details of the hydraulicunit;

Figure 5 is an enlarged top view partly in section of the nozzle unittaken along the line 5--5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a side elevational sectional view of the nozzle as seen inFigure 5; v

Figure 7 is a front elevational view of the nozzle taken along the line7-7 of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional bottom view of the nozzle taken alongthe line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the disclgarge end ofthe nozzle taken on line 9-9 of Figure Figure 10 is a top view of a panshowing the grease concentration area after being sprayed.

The apparatus is entirely automatic, the individual pans by theirmovement along the conveyor belt serving to initiate and coordinate theoperation. As the straps of pans approach the spraying station, a firstcontrol means or trip linkage mechanism, which includes two levers thatextend in the path of the pan movement, is actuated as each pan passesthereby. The first control means is adapted to operate an air valve toprovide air pressure to a cylinder that causes-a hydraulic unit toslida-bly move downward toward the conveyor. Mounted on the hydraulicunit and integral therewith IS a spray nozzle so disposed as to beprojected into the cavity of the pan to be sprayed. Whenapproaching thelowermost position, the hydraulic unit is actuated by a second controlmeans which includes a trigger lever that engages with the upper rim ofthe pan and serves to release the grease from the nozzle to spray theinner walls of the pan. Progressive movement of the pan releases thefirst control means and permits the hydraulic unit to return to itsuppermost and inoperative position as well as resets the mechanism forthe next pan to be sprayed. i

In Figures 1, 2 and 3 are illustrated the relative positions of theapparatus, wherein the belt 32 is provided for conducting the pans 34beneath the spraying unit 116.

A tank or sump 40 for the grease or lubricant is located beneath thebelt 32. The grease is drawn from the tank by suitable means, not shownthrough the lines or tubes 44, 45 to a strainer and relief valve 46, andthen by a flexible inlet line 47 to a hydraulic unit 41 whereby the saidunit is continuously supplied with fluid grease under attached to theunder side of a frame table 56. An air valve 57 is mounted adjacent theactuator and operatively associated therewith, the actuator 55'functioning to create a rapid and positive motion to operate the airsalve 57. The actuator comprises two parallel and freely rotatableshafts 60 and 61 that are longitudinally secured at their ends to achannel frame and brackets 62. A

- first lever 63 is rigidly pinned to the shaft 611 and extends upwardof the channel frame 62 and through a port ins the frame table 56. Thelever 63 is provided with an in clined tip 64 for engagement with theleading edge of' each pan. A second lever 65 is mounted on the shaft 61and freely pivotal thereabout and extends in a similar manner, but ingreater length, from the channel frame 62 through a port in the frametable 56. it is similarly provided with an inclined tip 67 forengagement with a pan.

Thus, as the pan traverses the table 56, the leading edge or side of thepan will depress the first lever 63 and then the second lever 65.Progressive movement of the pan will release the first lever 63 and thenthe second lever 65. Asthe first lever is depressed, the shaft 60 hasimparted to it a slight rotational movement.

The outlet 107 of air valve 57 is connected to an air cylinder 112, asseen in Figure 3, whereby a piston 113 therein will depress underadmitted air pressure against restraint of ajcompression spring 114.Release of the air to atmosphere at the air valve 57 will permit thespring 114 to drive the piston into its uppermost position. The aircylinder 112 is a part of the hydraulic unit 41 and initiates themovement thereof.

The hydraulic unit 41 is supported by and integral with the piston 113,both being vertically movable with respect to an overhead frame 115 andthe air cylinder 112 attached thereto, as seen in Figure 1. The lowerextremity of the unit is disposed within the grease tank 40 and extendsupwardly and angularly outward and terminatesat a nozzle unit 116 at aposition directly over the conveyor belt 32. When the air cylinder 112is supplied with. pressure, the unit 41 will move downward, thusdepress-- ing the nozzle unit 116 into the cavity of the pan 34 asindicated in phantom.

As hereinbefore indicated, the grease is applied under regulatedpressure through the inlet line 47 to the hydraulic unit 41. Forpurposes of clarity the hydraulic unit is shown schematically in Figure4.

Referring to the schematic view and with incidental reference to thedetails, the hydraulic unit comprises a composite body 120 ofinterconnected fluid passages and fluid lines and is vertically movablein its entirety with respect to the frame 115, the normal andinoperative posi' tion thereof being up as shown. The grease inlet line47 connects to the body 120 and to a line 121 having a hall check valve122 therein. The line 121 extends upward to and through the nozzle unit116 to a line 123 which extends downward and into the body 120 and apassage 124 to a chamber 125 having a circulation check unit 126. Apassage 127 is in continuous connection with the chamber 125 andcommunicates it with a lower chamber 128 of a metering cylinder 129. Thechamber 125 houses a circulation ball check valve 139 which is normallyopen and permits a fiow of grease through a passage 131, an ante chamber132, and a passage 133, into an ante chamber 134 of a depth check unit135, and then through an exhaust passage 136 discharging the grease tothe tank 40. Thus, there is provided an unimpeded circulation path forthe heated grease whereby the hydraulic unit 41 may be maintained warmas well .as permitting any air that may have found its way into the lineto be bled there- :from. r

The ante chamber 134 is connected through a passage 1137 to a chamber138 that houses a depth ball check valve 139 which is normally open tocommunicate the supply -of grease through a passage 140 to a hydrauliccylinder 141 (see Figure 3) which has a plunger 142 slidable therein andis in firm spring-loaded abutment with the frame 115. The chamber 138 isalso connected to an upper chamber 143 of the metering cylinder 129.

intermediate and separating the chambers 128 and 143 of the meteringcylinder 129 is a freely slidable plunger 146 that is normally urgedinto contact with an adjustable screw 147 by a compression spring 148which thereby determines the height of the plunger within the 1cylinder. The plunger 146 is provided with a stern 149 extending intothe lower chamber 128 and is of such length that when depressed intoengagement with a cap .150 the plunger will not block the passage 127.

The circulation check device 126 is provided with a .slidable rod 152that operatively associates the frame with the circulation ball checkvalve by depressing said ball when the hydraulic unit is in theuppermost and .inoperative position. The depth check unit is providedwith a slidable rod 153 that operatively associates the upper rim of thepan 34 with the depth ball check valve 139 when the hydraulic unit is inthe lower and operative position. The rod 153 forms a part of a secondcontrol means or trigger linkage generally indicated 'by the numeral 155and includes a bell crank 156 and an .arcuate finger 157 for contactingthe pan rim which are pivoted to the hydraulic unit structure todisplace the rod 153. A preferred construction herein is to provide apredetermined amount of lost motion between the bell crank 156 and therod 153 by means of a stud and slot to prevent the torque of the bellcrank 156 and finger .157 when released from appearing as an increasedforce on the ball check valve 139.

The foregoing is the subject matter of my co-pending application SerialNo. 178,134 above referred to.

The nozzle unit 116 is shown in Figures 5 to 9, being a component of thehydraulic unit 41, and moves in concert therewith to depress the greaseemitting extremity into the cavity of the pan. As hereinbeforeindicated, the grease is circulated through the nozzle unit by means ofthe lines 121 and 123. These lines are connected into astationary body160 having symmetrical passages 161 and 162 therein connected by acenter passage 163 that also extends axially through a cylindricalextension 164 of the said body 160. Slidably receivable over the saidextension 164 and pivoted thereto is a housing 165 that contains thenozzle valve as generally indicated by the numeral 166. The housing 165is normally restrained in a substantially vertical position by springloading but is rendered pivotal to prevent damage in the event ofinadvertent disturbance of the synchronism of the system. Thus, if amoving pan strikes the side of the housing, it is free to pivot topreclude breakage thereof.

The spring loading unit generally indicated by the numeral 168, includesa plate 169 and a partially threaded shaft 170 that is firmly mounted inthe extension 164, the plate 169 having an eccentric stop stud 171extending therefrom for centrally locating the housing 165. A centraltube 172 of a cap 173 is axially pivotal about the shaft 170, the caphaving a boss 174 for engagement with the stud 171. Pivotal about thetube 172 is a sleeve 175 which has a depending finger 176 for engagementwith the stud 171 on the opposite side thereof. A torsion spring 177 iscoiled aboutthe sleeve 175 being secured at one end to the finger 176and at the other end to the cap 173.

The housing 165 is provided with a pin 179 that is eccentric to thehousing axis and extends between the boss 174 and the finger 176 and isnormally restrained therebetween to maintain the nozzle valve inposition. In the event. however. that the housing 165 is pivotallydisplaced,

for example, in a clockwise direction as viewed in-Fi'gure 7, the pin179- willangularly displace the finger 176 from its normal position asshown and thereby increase the torsion on the spring 177, as theopposite extremity of the spring is fixed to the cap 173,, which remainsstationary in contact with the stud 171. A counterclockwise displacement of the housing will displace the cap '173, by means of thebss'1'74 and similarly increase the spring torsion for the otherextremity of the spring is fixed to the finger 176 that remainsstationary. Thus the housing is centered by spring loading in bothdirections.

The center passage 163 of the extension 164 is in continuouscommunication with a cylindrical chamber 182 of the housing 165, thechamber. at its other extremity being normally impeded by aspring-loaded poppet-type valve retained therein by a cap 183. The valveincludes a cylindrical nozzle 184 having a large bore partiallytherethrough terminating at a central orifice 185 (Figure 9), the nozzlebeing rigidly fixed in alignment with the axis of the chamber 182.Disposed .within the confines of the bore of the nozzle 184 is aninsert186 having a plurality of longitudinal slots 187 the length of theinsert to communicate the chamber 182 with the orifice 185. The insertis provided with a central bore to accommodate a shaft 188 that isslidable therein but normally restrained in an upward position by meansof a compression spring 189 about the shaft and intermediate the insert186 and a shaft nut 190. Fixed to the lower extremity of the shaft 188is an annular deflector tip 191 that 15 adapted to engage the orificeface of the nozzle 184, the contacting surfaces of which are preferablylapped to render a positive seal. Thus when the pressure of the greasewithin the chamber 182 attains a predetermined value, the shaft 138 willmove downward and permit the grease to be exhausted through the slots187, thence through the orifice 185 and to atmosphere between thesurfaces of the nozzle and tip.

Due to the rectangular shape of the pan it has been found desirable toshape the base of the nozzle orifice in order to assure substantiallyequal deposits of grease upon the inner walls of the pan. Figure 8 showsan exemplary form, greatly enlarged, of an orifice to produce a greasespray represented in Figure 10. It is contemplated that the said orificemay be so contoured to satisfy the requirements of differentlydimensioned pans. It is also contemplated that the engaging face of thedeflector tip 191 may be contoured to define a predetermined spraypattern. In the represented form, the face of the nozzle 184 isangularly depressed toward and adjacent the orifice 185 along a diameterthereof to form two symmetrically disposed and concave curvilinearsurfaces 194 which constitute a major axis of the orifice. The minoraxis may or may not be similarly shaped to a lesser extent as required.When the tip 191 is displaced from its normal position, the grease isfree to pass to atmosphere under pressure, but due to the shape of theface of the orifice, the major axis has a greater volumetric capacityand greater velocity coefficient. The said capacity and coeflicientprogressively decrease toward the minor axis. Since the exhaust area isconstant between the tip and nozzle peripheries, the grease velocityalong the major axis will be comparatively large and progressivelydecrease toward the minor axis. The grease particles are thus expelledat differential velocities and are directed to be applied insubstantially equal quantity upon the inner walls of the pan.

In the absence of further modification, the spray so attained approachesa horizontal line which may be suitable for certain applications.However, in the illustrated embodiment it is desirable to obtain a bandof grease of predetermined thickness. Such may be accomplished byproviding an acute bevel 195 around the outer periphery of the nozzlebase to reduce the eddy losses thereat and effectively alter thedirection of flow without materially affecting the velocity. In thismanner the grease may be spread-to a desired width at n the point ofinterception with the pan walls. It also may be desirable to bevel theperipheral edge of the nozzle to similarly alter the course of the flowof grease. Depending upon the structure desired, the band of grease maybe directed above or below the horizontal plane of engagement of thenozzle and tip. The operation of the hydraulic unit 41 is as follows:When an individual pan reaches a predetermined position upon the frametable 56, the actuator unit 55 operates to open the air valve 57 andadmit air pressure into the air cylinder 112. The hydraulic unit 41 isthereby caused to move downward and simultaneously close the circulationcheck unit 126, thus trapping a portion of the grease betweenthe-plunger 146 of the metering cylinder 129 and the ball check valve122 adjacent the inlet line 47. As the downward motion progresses theplunger 142 of the hydraulic cylinder 141, being in. firm abutment withthe frame 115, urges the grease out of the passage 140, through thenormally open depth check unit 135, to the ante chamber 134 and thenceto the tank 40 via the passage 136. When the trigger linkage 155 isactuated by the upper rimof the pan, the depth check unit 135 closes,thereby causing the grease to exert force upon the plunger 146 of themetering cylinder to drive the plunger to its lowermost position aslimited by engagement of the stem 149 and the cap 156. The plunger 146,in its downward movement, causes increased pressure upon the greasetrapped in the passages on the other side thereof, the flow of which isonly releasable through the nozzle unit 116. The increased pressureappears within the chamber 182 of the nozzle unit and urges the nozzlevalve to open against the restraint of the compression spring 189whereby the grease is exhausted through the orifice to spray the innerwalls of the pan.

The quantity of grease that is emitted from the nozzle is determined bythe initial position of the plunger 146 of the metering cylinder. If alesser amount is desired, the screw 147 is manually adjusted to locatethe plunger in a lower initial position. The lower limit of travel ofthe hydraulic unit 41 is a variable, depending upon the initial positionof the plunger 145, for no exhaust is provided for the grease betweenthe plungers M2 and 14-6. This is not undesirable for the minutecompressibility of the grease cofined serves as a shock absorber for therapidly moving unit carriage.

The hydraulic unit 41 remains at the lower limit until the air pressurein the cylinder 112 is released through the air valve 57, whereupon thecompression spring 114, in addition to other springs that may beutilized, urges the unit to the uppermost position, during which timethe circulation check unit 126 and the pan depth check unit 135 willopen to permit the passages and chambers to be replenished with greasefor the next sequential cycle.

I claim:

1. A spray unit for discharging a lateral spray of grease in a uniformband upon the interior surface of the upright walls of an oblong bakingpan, said spray unit comprising a tubular hollow nozzle having an inletfor grease under pressure at one end and provided at its opposite endwith an annular end wall having a restricted central outlet passageextending therethrough, said annular end wall having a frustoconicallyshaped exterior surface flaring outwardly from said outlet passage, adeflector tip carried by said nozzle and having a surface in confrontingrelation with respect to said first named surface to form a chambertherebetween of progressively diminishing depth radially outward fromsaid outlet passage to the peripheral edge of said frustoconical shapedsurface, said deflector tip being movable away from said nozzle to forman annular exhaust slot from said chamber between the said confrontingsurfaces at the peripheral edge of said frustoconical shaped surface,one of said confronting surfaces having a diametrically extendingelongated fusiforrn depression formed therein terminating short of saidexhaust slot, said depression being of progressively decreasing depthradially outward of the axis of said restricted outlet passage, wherebysaid chamber has a greater voluin a uniform band upon the interiorsurface of the upright walls of an oblong baking pan, said spray unitcomprising a tubular hollow nozzle provided with an annular end wallhaving a restricted central outlet passage extending therethrough, andhaving a frustoconically shaped surface flaring outwardly from saidoutlet passage, a deflector tip carried by said nozzle, said defiectortip having a surface in confronting relation with respect to said firstnamed surface to form a chamber therebetween of progressivelydiminishing depth radially outward from said outlet passage, saiddeflector tip being movable toward said nozzle to seat against theperipheral edge of said frustoconically shaped surface and movable fromsaid nozzle to form an annular exhaust slot between the said confrontingsurfaces of said nozzle and deflector tip, said frustoconical surfacehaving a diametrically extending elongated fusiform depression formedtherein terminating short of said seat, said depression being ofprogressively decreasing depth radially outward of the axis of saidrestricted outlet passage, and the width of said depression adjacent theaxis of said restricted outlet passage being at least equal to thediameter of said restricted outlet passage, whereby said chamber has agreater volumetric capacity along the major axis of said depression thanalong the minor axis thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS780,752 Hill Jan. 24, 1905 949,360 Kinealy Feb. 19, 1910 1,404,592Freihofer et a1 J an. 24, 1922 2,028,798 Murch Ian. 28, 1936 2,446,918Goddard Aug. 10, 1948 2,539,061 Coles Jan. 23, 1951 2,544,007 Cook Mar.6, 1951 2,555,803 Mashinter et a1. June 5, 1951 2,631,889 Johnson Mar.17, 1953 2,701,542 Tench Feb. 8, 1955 2,747,539 Pefier May 29, 1956

